US, DPRK nuclear negotiators meet in Geneva

WATCH VIDEO

Source: CCTV.com | 03-14-2008 10:28

Top nuclear negotiators from the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea met in Geneva on Thursday to break the impasse over the Korean Peninsula's nuclear issue.

DPRK's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan.(CCTV.com)

The closed-door talks were held at the US mission to the UN Office in Geneva, with US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill and the DPRK's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan representing each side.

The talks focused on the DPRK's delay in declaring the details of its nuclear program.

Hill insisted that the DPRK provide a "complete and correct" disclosure of its nuclear activities, but said there is room for flexibility.

Christopher Hill, US Assistant Secretary of State, said, "Obviously I think we can be flexible on format. But we cannot be flexible on the fact that we need a complete and correct declaration. That is, we need all the elements there and we need them to be expressed correctly."

Christopher Hill, US Assistant Secretary of State. (CCTV.com)

The DPRK has missed an end-of-2007 deadline to provide a full declaration, but says other participating nations are delaying the fulfillment of their commitments.

The commitments include providing energy and economic aid to the DPRK and major diplomatic and security rewards, mainly from the US.

The Geneva talks can be prolonged to Friday if the two negotiators think it's necessary.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei